


The Punchline

by AshWinterGray



Series: My Son, My Jaylad [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Beating, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, F/M, Good Older Sibling Dick Grayson, Jason Todd Has Issues, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Protective Bruce Wayne, Sacrifice, Self-Sacrifice, Violence, crowbar - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:54:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25007263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshWinterGray/pseuds/AshWinterGray
Summary: Bruce Wayne wakes up in a warehouse to see Punchline standing over the limp body of his son. And she's twirling a crowbar. Bruce isn't going to let her hurt his son. Not like this. Never like this. So he offers himself.Punchline can beat him with the crowbar while Jason watches. After all, he'd die for his son.
Relationships: Cassandra Cain & Jason Todd, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Joker/Punchline (DCU), Pamela Isley & Selina Kyle & Harleen Quinzel, Selina Kyle & Jason Todd, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Jason Todd
Series: My Son, My Jaylad [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1812244
Comments: 39
Kudos: 163





	The Punchline

Bruce would admit he felt a little nauseous coming to. His brain wasn’t quite catching up with his body, and he had to blink several times before he could see. Thankfully, he had endured rigorous training for a reason. It was easy to tell he was dressed as Batman, the familiar Kevlar hugging his body, but he was slightly alarmed to realize he was without his utility belt. It was also cold, as if a draft was wafting through the room, or…no. Not a room. More like a warehouse of some sort, just by the smell and the draft, his brain supplied a rough location.

“Someone is finally awake,” came the voice Batman almost couldn’t place.

Almost.

Punchline had generally kept her distance from him so far, though he’d looked into her the moment she caused a stir. She was dangerous, and Bruce couldn’t figure out how she got the jump on him. He was bound, rather tightly too, and his head was still muddled. Drugs, perhaps.

The breath punched straight out of Bruce’s lungs the moment his vision cleared.

“No,” he felt the words fall past his lips.

Punchline was there, and a few of her goons were flanking Batman, ready to act should Batman try to escape. But what had brought a sense of absolute horror to Bruce was the sight of his son, his Jaylad, bound on he floor at Punchline’s feet. He was still unconscious, but Punchline seemed unbothered by this, twirling a crowbar in her hands.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Batman, though I must admit, I thought it would be harder to capture you and the bird.”

Batman grit his teeth. “Let him go, Punchline. Your quarrel is with me.”

“Oh, my quarrel is with all the Bats,” Punchline laughed. “But, no, I won’t be letting the husky Robin go. He’s my plaything for the night.”

Cold, gripping fear clawed at Bruce’s chest. No. He couldn’t let this happen again. Not to Jason. Not to his Jaylad. Not to his son. But what would Punchline want in exchange?

“Don’t!” Batman’s voice caused Punchline to stop her twirling. “Use me, instead. Take me. Not him.”

Punchline seemed amused by this. “Say please.”

“Please.”

Bruce knew he was begging, knew that he had startled both Punchline and the goons. But he wasn’t Batman right now. No, for the first time since Jason’s death, that little boy in Crime Alley was kicking and fighting his way forward. Screaming. Pleading.

_“Don’t touch my Jaylad, you monster! You can’t have him! Let him go! Not my Jaylad! I won’t let you take him again!”_

The wicked grin that grew on Punchline’s face was enough.

“With pleasure.”

A snap of her fingers and Bruce was being unbound and rebound at Punchline’s face, not daring to start a struggle while his son was still unconscious. The moment Jason was secured to the post where Batman had been bound, Punchline motioned her goons to wake the boy up.

“Ahh!” Jason hissed. “What-how-B-?”

Jason domino mask was without the lenses, whether because Punchline put them there, or because Jason had opted to use it, Bruce didn’t know. He regretted the mask now, knowing it would be near impossible to read his expression.

“I was going to have a little fun with you tonight while the Bat watched,” Punchline cooed, running her hand up and down Bruce’s arm. “But daddy-dearest just didn’t want to see his baby bird hurt, did he?”

Bruce held back a grunt as Punchline dug her nails into his arm.

“So, I get to have fin with the Bats while _you_ watch, little bird!”

Punchline swung the crowbar down with a force that could rival Wonder Woman’s punch. Or, that’s what it felt like, and Wonder Woman was the strongest of all of them. Batman didn’t cry out. But Jason did.

“NO! BATMAN! STOP!”

Punchline continued to bring down the crowbar again and again, there were a few crunches here and there, but Batman still didn’t cry out. Jason continued to scream and struggle, one of the goons punched him at one point.

“WHY!? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?”

The question wasn’t for Punchline, though she gave some answer Batman didn’t focus on. His gaze was locked on the sobbing form of his son.

“Because I love you, lad. And I would do this-” Batman grunted at another smack. “I would do this-agh-a thousand times-ahh-over if it meant-nhhh-you were safe.”

“How sentimental,” Punchline cooed. “How disgusting!”

Batman gasped as the crowbar made contact with his head, a crunch ringing in his ears. Was this the pain his son had endured? He hoped not. And he hoped Jason would never have to endure this again. He wasn’t sure what he would do if Punchline got bored with him and turned to Jason.

Like now.

“You healed quite nicely for someone who died,” Punchline lifted Jason’s chin with the crowbar. Her hand fisted in his hair. “How does that work?”

Jason just glared, probably not trusting his voice to crack.

“The Joker is quite fond of you,” she tugged him closer, making the crowbar press into his neck. “You and that mother of yours. He told me all about how mommy sold you to the Joker, even as you tried to save her. How she watched as he beat you. Did you still try to save her? Is that why you couldn’t get out?”

Shelia had…betrayed Jason? Bruce had always just assumed…but he’d done that a lot. Just assumed a lot about Jason. Like when he assumed Jason had killed the Penguin. If Shelia had betrayed Jason…his poor baby boy. Bruce wanted to hold his son, apologize for everything, brush away the betrayal. His baby boy had seen too much. Endured too much. How hadn’t he seen?

“My plan was to reanact that,” Punchline cooed. “Have your dad watch as you died, completely unable to help. But this…this was much better.”

She smacked Jason over the face with the crowbar and returned to Bruce with a vigor. Bruce wasn’t sure how long this continued, but he never made a sound beyond gasps. Jason still cried out for him, still begged him to fight, to let Punchline take him instead. But Punchline never acknowledged him.

“Which hurts more? Backhand? Or forehand? A? Or B?”

And then, she stopped.

“Well, it’s been fun, but the Joker needs a little break out,” Punchline slid on a jacket, setting the crowbar down at Jason’s feet. “Enjoy your last moments together.”

Bruce hadn’t even noticed the bomb until now, as the door shut and locked from the outside. There was no way he would get out of this, Bruce knew. But he could save Jason. He _would_ save Jason.

“B. B, no,” Jason pleaded as Bruce tried to push himself up. “No. Don’t. I won’t leave you. You can’t make me leave you. B, please. B. _Dad._ ”

Bruce collapsed half in his son’s lap, breathing hitching at the word. The name. He couldn’t remember the last time Jason called him dad. Not since his son was a little boy. His little Robin.

“I need…you to…live…” Bruce breathed, fumbling at the knots. “Please…Jaylad…”

“No, no dad,” Jason was weeping, arms flying around Bruce as he was freed. “I’m not leaving you. You idiot. Why would you-? Why did you-?”

“My…son…” Bruce breathed, pressing a kiss to his son’s chest, the only place he had the strength to reach. “I would…do it… a thousand times…over…”

Jason yanked off the rest of his bonds, carefully lifting Bruce and moving to the door. It was only then did Bruce realize Punchline made sure they were trapped. She must have dished out injuries before hand because Jason collapsed under the weight of his father.

“Go…son…” Bruce tried to push Jason away.

“No. No, I’m not leaving you,” Jason sobbed. “I’m so sorry, dad. So sorry. Please.”

“There…is nothing…to forgive…” Bruce whispered. “But…can you…forgive…your stupid…old man? He was…a terrible…father…”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Jason whispered, glancing to the clock and back at Bruce. “I love you, dad.”

“I…love you…too…”

Jason threw himself over Bruce, eyes scrunched tight as the bomb hit 01, and then the bomb exploded. Bruce’s world went dark knowing that he had finally said the words he had been terrified to say before. He just wished he had said it more often.

\-----------------------------------

Jason’s eyes snapped open when he realized he wasn’t on fire, or burning, or dead. It was definitely dark, but he was still alive. He instantly fumbled for Bruce’s pulse, despite the feeling of breath and ragged breathing. He couldn’t exactly hear the breathing for a moment, his ears still ringing from the explosion. Then he felt Bruce’s pulse, weak, but there.

Bruce was alive. Jason let out a hysterical laugh that quickly became a choked sob. What had Bruce been thinking?

“Bat!”

Jason knew that voice, though his eyes were too full of tears to tell anything other than the fact that whatever had shielded them was pulling away. But that voice belonged to someone Jason knew.

“Jay?” Selina Kyle crouched in front of him, taking his face in her hands and brushing the tears away. “Jay, are you-?”

“He took my place,” Jason hiccuped. “She was gonna-she was trying to-he took my place, Lina. Why would Dad do that?”

“Oh, Jay,” Selina breathed, pulling Jason off of Bruce and into her lap, much to his protest. “It’s okay, my sweet Robin. It’s okay. You’re dad is going to be just fine. Dick has him, okay. It’s alright. We got here in time.”

Jay was sobbing as Selina got Harley to help him to the jet. The Bats had easily transported Bruce to the plane they hired, and Leslie was already beginning intense surgery. Tim was calling into the Watch Tower, explaining the situation and requesting certain heroes meet them as soon as possible. Alfred was beginning to check over Jason as the boy passed out.

“I’ll kill her,” Damian growled, looking over his Father and brother. “Screw Father’s code, I’ll-!”

“Ya won’t have to,” Harley placed a hand on Robin’s shoulder.

“What makes you say that, Harls?” Ivy questioned, already trying to help the poor plants she had used to shield Bruce and Jason.

“Mistah J has certain rules bout his partners, Ives,” Harley sighed. “Especially when it comes to the Bats. There’re lines we can’t cross, things we can’t do. I’m gonna have to cancel that coffee date.”

The plane got quiet. Of all the ways to go, Punchline would never see this one coming.

\---------------------------

“Such a shame,” Punchline sighed, watching the video beside the Joker as the plants surrounded them. “You’d be proud, though. I had him wrapped around my fingers.”

The Joker was silent, an odd thing, but Punchline ignored it.

“If only your silly ex hadn’t ruined it,” Punchline sighed, preparing to turn away. “I’ll have to figure out which fool told her. Or perhaps she saw. Oh well, I’ll just have to-”

Punchline froze, breath caught in her throat as she numbly registered something wrong. She looked down to see one of the Joker’s knives jutting out from her stomach. He pulled it out before she could fully register what was happening, jamming it back in again seconds later.

The Joker stabbed her 27 times, the exact number of times she swung the crowbar down on Batman. Maybe he’d give Harley the body as a present, to mend old ties. But looking at the screen, he knew it might just take a little more touch to win her back.

“What a shame,” the Joker sighed at the bloody mess. “That carpet takes forever to clean. We’ll just have to throw out the trash!”

And then he laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

\---------------------------

For the first time since Dick could remember, he was cradling his Little Wing against his chest. It was almost unnerving, and Dick found he couldn’t quite savor being able to hug Jason while his little brother was so shaken.

When Harley had barged into Wayne Manor, frantic and begging them to listen to her, Dick hadn’t been sure what to think. They had already been preparing to go do a search for Bruce, unaware Jason had even been in Gotham, when Harley stormed past Alfred and into the Batcave.

They had almost been too late.

“Why would he do that?” Jason whispered, so quiet that Dick almost missed it. “Why would he take my place?”

Dick pulled Jason a little closer, careful of his bruised ribs that had hindered him in the warehouse. Double checking to make sure the broken ankle wasn’t going to slide across the table.

“Because he loves you, Little Wing. So, so much.”

Jason was still sobbing and shaking in his arms. If death had changed Jason, Dick was almost afraid to see how _this_ would affect his brother. But only time would tell. Glancing around the room, Dick pulled Jason as close to his chest as he dared. It had been a long night, and their family was scattered about the room. Duke was passed out in an arm chair. Steph and Harper were asleep on a couch, back to back, with Damian curled up on Steph’s lap. Alfred had gone back to help with Bruce, and he hadn’t seen the old man since. Babs was taking over patrol with her Birds but promised to come the moment she could. Selina had been whisked away by Diana and Dinah the moment things became too much for her. Ivy and Harley had gone with, both to support their friend, and to make sure that the heroes didn’t take Harley as a threat.

Which left Cass and Tim. Cass who was creeping off the couch and gently maneuvering Jason’s feet to settle in her lap as she massaged his good foot. Tim who had pushed away from his desk and settled next to Jason so he could also hug his big brother.

It hurt Dick, for just a moment, to remember that Tim was closer to Jason than he had ever been. But here he was, holding his little brother who just had his whole world shattered. Those sort of thoughts could wait.

“It’s going to be okay, Little Wing,” Dick promised into Jason’s hair. “It’s going to be okay. You’ll see.”

**Author's Note:**

> Might make a sequel. I dunno.


End file.
